'Amazing Race' beats 'American Idol,' wins 6th Emmy

Greg BraxtonLos Angeles Times Staff Writer

Award shows are routinely derided as nothing more than popularity contests. That cannot be said about the Emmy winner for outstanding reality competition, which -- yet again -- went to CBS' "The Amazing Race."

The race-around-the-globe reality series, while certainly respectable in the ratings, is no match for much of its reality show competitors, most notably, Fox's " American Idol" -- television's most popular show (not to mention ABC's" Dancing With the Stars").

And yet, since the creation of the Emmy category, all six awards have gone to "The Amazing Race."

To co-creator and co-executive producer Bertram van Munster, Sunday night's additional award was more than amazing, it was "extraordinary."

Van Munster, who shares credit for the show with his wife, Elise Doganieri, elaborated backstage: "We produced a better show than we've ever done before. We keep producing a better show, and that's the exciting part of it. To produce a show that's so loved around the world is really energizing to me. And this series was a highlight of all we've produced so far."

The show's group of producers includes movie mogul Jerry Bruckheimer, who beamed widely as he rushed to the stage to accept the award.

Defeat for "American Idol" came despite the show's dramatic showdown, when "The Two Davids" -- Cook and Archuleta -- battled it out for the "Idol" crown. Cook won in what many considered to be an upset.

The dry spell for "Idol" may persist if it continues to battle "The Amazing Race" for the reality Emmy. Bruckheimer said he would not consider withdrawing the show from competition to give other series a chance to win.